Keep a fast and observe a Vrata

Members, and visitors who are not signed in, whose region offers Fasting & Vrat. A vrata is a vow or observance, and upvas is fasting. This guide helps you time a fast, find the dates of the sacred fasts, and, if you are a member, tell the sangat you are observing one.

Before you start

• The page is switched on or off for each region. If your region has turned it off, the link is hidden and the address takes you back to the portal home (or to the homepage when you are signed out).
• The page offers shorter limits to some people, to be gentle. If you say on Aarogya & Dinacharya that you are pregnant or breastfeeding (a question asked when you choose Female), or choose an age group of under 18 or 60 or over, the longest fast it offers is shorter and the page says why. Those answers stay on your device.
• A fast is a personal choice. If you take medicine or are unwell, ask your doctor first.

Steps

1. Open Fasting & Vrat. Under Fast length, choose 12, 16, 18, 24 or 36 hours, or Custom for any goal up to 72 hours. The 24-hour choice is marked Ekadashi and shows the date of the next Ekadashi.
2. If you finished your last meal earlier, switch on I started earlier and set Last meal finished at. The time cannot be in the future or more than 72 hours ago. For a fast longer than 24 hours, tick the box saying you have checked with your doctor.
3. Choose Start (n)-hour fast. The page says "Your fast has started. Stay hydrated." and the timer begins.
4. When you are done, choose End fast. If the start time was wrong, choose Change start, then Save start time.
5. Members: to mark a Vrata with the sangat, find it under Vedic Vrata & Panchang Calendar and choose ✦ I am observing this Vrata.
6. To withdraw, choose it again. The button then reads ✦ Observing this Vrata.

What happens next

• Your fast stays on your device. The timer, your fasts and the answers on the Aarogya page are kept in your browser and are never sent to the server. Another device or browser will not show them, and clearing site data removes them. Under Past fasts you can remove one with its delete button.
• While a fast runs the page shows the time kept, the start and the goal, the stage you are in and a ring that fills towards your goal. At the goal it says "You've completed your fast. Break it gently." The Breaking your fast card gives gentle advice.
• The stage notes. Under Stages each stage carries a short note, a line saying how well established it is, and a reflection. They are general information, not medical advice, and some say plainly that the research is early.
• The Vrata calendar lists the coming sacred fasts for your own branch: Ekadashi with its Parana time (when the fast is traditionally broken, after the next sunrise), Purnima, Pradosh with its sunset time, and Navratri. The page says these are a simplification of the traditional rules, and your ashram's calendar decides. How to keep a Vrata opens short guidance.
• Observing is recorded, and only that. Choosing ✦ I am observing this Vrata records one fact on your account: that you are observing that fast. What or when you ate, and how the fast went, are never recorded. A member's own pledges are in their data download and go with their account.
• Who can see it. A fast shows how many members are observing it together only once at least three are. No names are ever shown. Below three you see only your own choice.

If something looks different

• There is no Fasting link, or the page returns you to the portal. Your region has switched it off.
• A length is dimmed. It is longer than the page offers you. The page names the limit and why.
• The start button is dimmed. For a fast over 24 hours the doctor box must be ticked, and a goal must be between 1 and 72 hours.
• No sacred fast falls in the next few weeks, or the fasts cannot be shown. The page says "No sacred fast falls in the next few weeks." or "The coming fasts can’t be shown just now." and shows no dates.
• You are signed out and see no observing button. Only a signed-in member can mark a Vrata as observed. The timer, the stages and the calendar work for everyone, and a signed-out visitor’s fasts are kept on that device too.

Related guides

• Begin a one-tap sitting
• Verified hours and quiet milestones